Apparatus for removing and replacing charging hole covers of a byproduct coke oven

ABSTRACT

A first lever is pivotally secured to the larry car above the coal discharge chute. A second lever is pivotally connected adjacent one end to an arm potion of the first lever. The second lever depends downwardly from the first lever adjacent the coal discharge chute and has an arcuate intermediate portion that positions the second lever other end portion beneath the discharge chute. An electromagnet is secured to the depending end of the second lever and is arranged to magnetically engage the charging hole cover. The pair of levers are so arranged that pivoting of the first lever first moves the second lever depending end portion with the electromagnet secured thereto in a vertical direction to lift the charging hole cover from the charging hole and thereafter in a lateral direction to move the charging hole cover from beneath the coal discharge chute.

United States Patent APPARATUS FOR REMOVING AND REPLACING CHARGING HOLE COVERS OF A BYPRODUCT COKE OVEN 10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl

Int. Cl

Field 214/35 R, 202/262, 212/4 C10b 35/00 IIIIIIIIIIIII 214/18 PH;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,079,007 2/1963 Bowman et al. 214/18 PH X 3,419,163 12/1968 Kostoehka 214/18 PH Primary Examiner-Robert G. Sheridan AHorney-- Stanley J. Price, .lr.

ABSTRACT: A first lever is pivotally secured to the larry car above the coal discharge chute. A second lever is pivotally connected adjacent one end to an arm potion of the first lever. The second lever depends downwardly from the first lever adjacent the coal discharge chute and has an arcuate intermediate portion that positions the second lever other end portion beneath the discharge chute. An electromagnet is secured to the depending end of the second lever and is arranged to magnetically engage the charging hole cover. The pair of levers are so arranged that pivoting of the first lever first moves the second lever depending end portion with the electromagnet secured thereto in a vertical direction to lift the charging hole cover from the charging hole and thereafter in a lateral direction to move the charging hole cover from beneath the coal discharge chute.

PATENTEBunv 2 a |97| SHEET 2 BF 2 WW M .WN

INVENTOI? JOHANNES LORREK By g f his Attorney BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a lifting device and more particularly to a lifting device for removing and replacing charging hole covers of byproduct coke oven chambers.

2. Description of the Prior Art The regenerative byproduct coke oven battery has a pluralityv of spaced transversely extending coking chambers with heating chambers therebetween. The coking chambers are charged with coal to be coked through a plurality of spaced vertical charging holes in the roof of the coke oven battery. A larry car is mounted on rails and extends transversely across the roof of the coke oven battery. The larry car has a plurality of separate hoppers arranged to supply a preselected volume of coal through separate charging holes to each coking chamber. Each hopper has an extensible discharge chute that is extended downwardly to connect the hopper to the charging hole. A metallic charging hole cover closes and seals each of the charging holes during the coking operation and the charging hole covers are removed only to permit the coal to be charged into the coking chamber.

It is desirable for many reasons toreduce the charging time to a minimum. Automated devices have been provided to position the larry car with the discharge chutes in overlying relation with the'charging holes of coking chamber and to coordinate the simultaneous discharge of the coal charge from all of the coal hoppers with the leveling operation of the coal charge within the coking chamber. Before the coal can be charged into the chamber, all of the charging hole covers must be removed and the larry car positioned with all the discharge chutes above the charging holes.

Recent developments in lifting devices for removing and replacing the charging hole covers permit the covers to be removed after the larry car is positioned to discharge the coal into the coking chamber. The lifting devices include a first drive mechanism to lift the charging hole cover vertically and a second drive mechanism to move the charging hole cover laterally from under the discharge chute. The coordination and proper operation of the lifting devices requires sequence switches, separate sources of power for each drive mechanism and other control equipment. The use of such equipment, especially in rough coke plant operation, reduces the reliability of the lifting devices and increases the possibility of malfunctions. The known lifting devices can not be coordinated so that all of the charging hole covers of a coking chamber are removed and replaced simultaneously. This latter coordinated operation could reduce substantially the total time required to charge a coking chamber.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The hereinafter described improved lifting device eliminates multiple drive mechanisms and the associated equipment for maintaining control of the sequential operation of the drive mechanisms. A single common drive mechanism may be utilized to control all of the lifting devices associated with the same larry car so that all of the charging hole covers may be simultaneously removed and replaced. The lifting device associated with each hopper includes a first lever pivotally secured to the larry-car above the coal discharge chute. A second lever is secured at one end to an arm of the first lever and depends downwardly therefrom. The second lever has an arcuate intermediate portion that positions the other end portion beneath the coal discharge chute. An electromagnet is secured to the second lever other end portion and is arranged to engage the charging hole cover. A drive mechanism is arranged to pivot the first lever and first lift the charging hole cover vertically until it clears the charging hole and thereafter move the charging hole cover laterally from beneath the coal discharge chute. Where it is desired to simultaneously remove all of the charging hole covers from a coking chamber, the first levers of each 'lifting device are connected for simultaneous pivotal movement.

Accordingly, the principal object of this invention is to provide a charginghole cover lifiing device that requires only one drive mechanism to lift the charging hole cover vertically and thereafter move the charging hole cover laterally.

Another object of this invention is to provide charging hole cover lifting devices that may be interconnected so that all of the charging hole covers of a coking chamber may be removed simultaneously.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will be more completely disclosed and described in the following specification, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are fragmentary views in elevation of one embodiment of the improved lifting device in various phases of operation.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are fragmentary views in elevation of another embodiment of the lifting device in two positions of operation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE- PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings and particularly FIGS. 1-3, a larry car generally designated by the numeral 10 has a coal hopper 12 positioned thereon. It should be understood that the larry car '10 has a plurality of hoppers equal to the number of charging holes in each coking chamber. For illustrative purposes, however, only one hopper and one charging hole cover lifting device is illustrated.

Positioned beneath the hopper 12 is a turntable 14 that is arranged to convey the coal from the hopper 12 to a discharge chute 16. The discharge chute 16 has a lower telescopic portion 18 with an outlet 20 that is arranged to be positioned in the charging hole of the coke oven battery.

The larry car 10 is positioned on the roof 22 of the coke oven battery with. the discharge chute opening 20 in overlying relation with the charging hole 24. The charging hole 24 has a conical flared upper end portion 26 that is arranged to receive a metallic charging hole cover 28. The charging hole cover has a circular configuration so that when it is positioned in the conical portion 26 of charging hole 24 it closes and seals the charging hole.

The lifting device generally designated by the numeral 30 includes a first lever 32 and a second lever34. The first lever 32 has a pair of arms 36 and 38 extending angularly therefrom and a pivot aperture 40. The lever 32 is pivotally secured to a beam 42 of larry car 10 by the pivot pin 44 extending through the pivot aperture 40. The pivot pin 44 is supported in a bearing block 46 and may be arranged. as later discussed, to serve as a common actuation means for all of the levers 32 associated with the same larry car 10.

The end portion of arm 36 is pivotally connected at 48 to a piston rod 50 of a piston cylinder assembly 52. The piston cylinder assembly is pivotally supported on the larry car 10 by means of a yoke mechanism 54.

The second lever 34 has an upper end portion 56 pivotally connected to the arm member 36 of the first lever 32 adjacent the pivot connection 48. The lever 34 depends downwardly from the first lever 32 adjacent the discharge chute l6 and has an arcuate intermediate portion 58 and a lower end portion 60 that extends beneath the outlet opening 20 of discharge chute 16. An electromagnet 62 is pivotally secured to the second lever end portion 60 and has a conduit 64 extending therefrom. The electromagnet 62 is arranged upon energization to magnetically engage the metallic charging hole cover 28. The discharge chute 16 has a laterally extending bracket 66 with a rotatable guide member 68 mounted thereon. The lever 34 is arranged to abut the guide member 68, as later explained.

The other arm member 38 of first lever 32 has a rotatable guide member 70 secured thereto and spring 72 is connected to the arm member 38 adjacent the guide member 70. The other end of spring 72 is connected to the bracket 74 extending laterally from the second lever 34. The spring 72 is arranged to maintain the second lever 34 in abutting relation with the guide 68 during the initial movement of lever 34 and the guide 70 on first lever arm 38 is arranged to pivot the lever 34 laterally after it has reached a preselected elevation.

OPERATlON As previously described, the charging hole 24 has a conical flared end portion 26 in which the charging hole cover 28 is positioned to close and seal the charging hole. To remove the charging hole cover 28 from the charging hole 24 it is necessary to first move the charging hole cover vertically. Since the larry car is in position with the discharge chute 16 in overlying relation with the charging hole 24, the charging hole cover 28 and lifting device 30 must be moved laterally from beneath the discharge chute outlet so that the discharge chute extensible portion 18 may be lowered to position the outlet opening 20 in the charging hole 24 as illustrated in phantom lines in F IG. 3.

To remove the charging hole cover 28, the lifting device is ositioned as illustrated in HO. 1 with the piston rod 50 extended so that the second lever 34 abuts the guide wheel 68 secured to the discharge chute 16. It should be noted. in this position the spring 72 is expanded as illustrated in FIG. 1, and urges the lever 34 against the guide wheel 68. The electromagnet 62 is in abutting relation with the charging hole cover 28 and is energized to magnetically engage the charging hole cover 28. Thereafter, the piston cylinder assembly 52 is actuated to pivot the lever 32 is a clockwise direction. The first pivoting movement of the lever 32 moves the arm 36 upwardly to thereby move the second lever 34 in a vertical direction a sufficient distance to move the charging hole cover upwardly out of the flared portion 26 of charging hole 24. During this initial movement the arm 38 moves toward the second lever 34 and the guide wheel 70 on the arm 38 engages the lever 34. Further retraction of the piston rod 50 further pivots the lever 32 and the guide wheel 70 on lever arm 38 abuts the lever 34 and pivots the lever 34 about the end portion 56 to thus move the other end portion 60 laterally from beneath the discharge hopper outlet 20. The extensible portion 18 of discharge hopper 16 may be now extended as illustrated in phantom lines in FIG. 3 and the coal discharged from the hopper 12 through turntable 14 into the coking chamber through the discharge chute 16. After the coal has been charged into the coking chamber through charging hole 24, the reverse procedure is initiated to replace the charging hole cover 28. First the lever 34 is pivoted to position the charging hole cover 28 in overlying relation with the charging hole 24 and thereafter the charging hole cover is moved vertically downwardly to seal the charging hole 24. The electromagnet 62 is thereafter deenergized and, where desired, the lever 34 may be moved vertically to the position illustrated in H6. 2 so that the lifting device 30 is spaced above the battery roof 22.

Where it is desired to simultaneously lift all of the charging hole covers, all of the levers 32 associated with the lifting devices should be rotated at the same time and through the same angle. A suitable arrangement for the simultaneous operation would be to nonrotatably secure the levers 32 to a common shaft extending the length of the larry car 10. A single piston cylinder drive mechanism or other type of drive mechanism could be connected to one of the levers 32 or other suitable means provided to rotate the common shaft. The common shaft could extend through the apertures 40 in the lever 32 in a manner similar to pivot pin 44. With this arrangement all of the levers 32 would rotate in the same manner and all of the lifting devices 30 would engage and lift all of the charging hole covers simultaneously.

Referring to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, similar parts are designated by the same reference numerals as appear in FIGS. 1-3. A first lever is nonrotatably secured to a shaft 82 by a pin member 84. The lever has an outwardly extending arm 86 to which a second lever 88 is pivotally secured at 90. The lever 88 depends downwardly from the first lever 80 and has an arcuate portion 92 and an end portion 94 to which the electromagnet 62 is connected beneath the coal chute outlet 20. The lever 88 has a second arcuate portion 96 adjacent the upper pivot location 90. A bracket member 98 is secured to and extends forwardly from a beam 100 of the larry car 10. Secured to the bracket 98 adjacent the lower portion 102 are roller-type guide members 104 and 106. The guide member 106 is resiliently supported by spring 108 and bracket member 110 to urge the guide member 106 toward guide member 104. The lever 88 extends downwardly between the guide members 104 and 106.

The lever 88 is so shaped with the arcuate portions 92 and 96 that when the lever 80 is pivoted in a clockwise direction the electromagnet 62 will first move vertically upward a sufficient distance to have the charging hole cover clear the flared portion 26 of the charging hole. Thereafter, the arcuate portion 96 swings the electromagnet 62 laterally, as is illustrated in FIG 5. The slight curvature of the lever serves to equalize any deviation from straight line during the pivotal rotation. As soon, however, as the arcuate portion 96 of the rod passes between the guide members 104 and 106, the guide member 106 swings the lever 82 outwardly to provide the lateral movement previously described. With the above described lifting device illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, a drive mechanism (not shown) is provided to rotate the shaft 82. With this arrangement, as previously discussed with reference to the other embodiment, the shaft 82 may be a common shaft for all of the levers 80 of all of the lifting devices associated with the larry car 10 so that all of the charging hole covers 28 may be engaged and removed from the charging holes 24 at the same time.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, l have explained the principle, preferred construction and mode of operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiments.

1 claim:

1. Lifting apparatus for removing a charging hole cover from a charging hole ofa byproduct coke oven chamber comprising,

a larry car having a coal discharge chute operable to be positioned in overlying relation with a coke oven chamber charging hole,

a first lever member pivotally secured to a portion of said larry car above said coal discharge chute,

a second lever member pivotally secured adjacent one end to an arm portion of said first lever, said second lever depending downwardly from said first lever adjacent said coal discharge chute,

said second lever having an arcuate portion and a lower end portion with a charging hole cover engaging means secured thereto,

said second lever arcuate portion operable to position said charging hole cover engaging means beneath said coal discharge chute, and

actuating means operable to pivot said first lever and move said second lever lower end portion vertically to thereby remove a charging hole cover engaged to said charging hole cover engaging means from said charging hole and thereafter move said second lever lower end portion laterally from beneath said coal discharge chute,

2. Lifting apparatus for removing a charging hole cover from a charging hole of a byproduct coke oven as set forth in claim 1 in which,

said charging hole cover engaging means includes an electromagnet to magnetically engage said charging hole cover.

3. Lifting apparatus for removing a charging hole cover from a charging hole of a byproduct coke oven as set forth in claim 1 which includes,

a piston cylinder assembly mounted on said larry car with the rod of said piston connected to said first lever,

said piston cylinder assembly operable to pivot said first lever.

4. Lifting apparatus for removing a charging hole cover from a charging hole of a byproduct coke oven as set forth in claim 1 which includes,

guide means extending laterally from said discharge chute,

and

resilient means urging said second lever against said first guide means.

5. Lifting apparatus for removing a charging hole cover from a charging hole of a byproduct coke oven as set forth in claim 1 in which,

said first lever has a second arm portion extending angularly from said first lever first arm portion,

spring means connected at one end to said second arm portion and at the other end to an intermediate portion of said second lever, said spring means operable to urge said second lever toward said discharge chute.

6. Lifting apparatus for removing a charging hole cover from a charging hole of a byproduct coke oven as set forth in claim 1 in which,

said first lever has a second arm portion extending angularly from said first lever first arm portion,

said second arm portion having a guide member thereon operable to engage said second lever upon rotation of said first lever and pivot said second lever about said pivot connection to said first lever first arm portion to thereby move said charging hole cover engaging means laterally from beneath said coal charging chute.

7. Lifting apparatus for removing a charging hole cover from a charging hole of a byproduct coke oven as set forth in claim 1 which includes,

a support bracket secured to said larry car,

a pair of guide rollers secured to said support bracket in spaced relation to each other,

said second lever positioned between said guide rollers, and

means urging one of said guide rollers toward said second lever.

8. Lifting apparatus for removing a charging hole cover from a charging hole of a byproduct coke oven as set forth in claim 7 in which,

said second lever has a second arcuate portion adjacent said pivotal connection to said first lever operable with said pair of guide rollers to move said second lever vertically a preselected distance. 9. Lifting apparatus for removing a charging hole cover from a charging hole of a byproduct coke oven as set forth in claim 1 in which,

said larry car includes a plurality of coal hoppers with depending discharge chutes operable to be aligned with a series of spaced charging holes in a coking chamber,

charging hole cover removing apparatus including first and second levers associated with each of said coal hoppers, and

means connecting all of said first levers for simultaneous pivotal rotation.

10. Lifting apparatus for removing a charging hole cover from a charging hole of a byproduct coke oven as set forth in claim 9 which includes,

all of said first levers nonrotatably connected to a common shaft, and

drive means to rotate said common shaft and simultaneously pivot all of said levers to thereby simultaneously remove all of said charging hole covers.

* I I! i 

1. Lifting apparatus for removing a charging hole cover from a charging hole of a byproduct coke oven chamber comprising, a larry car having a coal discharge chute operable to be positioned in overlying relation with a coke oven chamber charginG hole, a first lever member pivotally secured to a portion of said larry car above said coal discharge chute, a second lever member pivotally secured adjacent one end to an arm portion of said first lever, said second lever depending downwardly from said first lever adjacent said coal discharge chute, said second lever having an arcuate portion and a lower end portion with a charging hole cover engaging means secured thereto, said second lever arcuate portion operable to position said charging hole cover engaging means beneath said coal discharge chute, and actuating means operable to pivot said first lever and move said second lever lower end portion vertically to thereby remove a charging hole cover engaged to said charging hole cover engaging means from said charging hole and thereafter move said second lever lower end portion laterally from beneath said coal discharge chute.
 2. Lifting apparatus for removing a charging hole cover from a charging hole of a byproduct coke oven as set forth in claim 1 in which, said charging hole cover engaging means includes an electromagnet to magnetically engage said charging hole cover.
 3. Lifting apparatus for removing a charging hole cover from a charging hole of a byproduct coke oven as set forth in claim 1 which includes, a piston cylinder assembly mounted on said larry car with the rod of said piston connected to said first lever, said piston cylinder assembly operable to pivot said first lever.
 4. Lifting apparatus for removing a charging hole cover from a charging hole of a byproduct coke oven as set forth in claim 1 which includes, guide means extending laterally from said discharge chute, and resilient means urging said second lever against said first guide means.
 5. Lifting apparatus for removing a charging hole cover from a charging hole of a byproduct coke oven as set forth in claim 1 in which, said first lever has a second arm portion extending angularly from said first lever first arm portion, spring means connected at one end to said second arm portion and at the other end to an intermediate portion of said second lever, said spring means operable to urge said second lever toward said discharge chute.
 6. Lifting apparatus for removing a charging hole cover from a charging hole of a byproduct coke oven as set forth in claim 1 in which, said first lever has a second arm portion extending angularly from said first lever first arm portion, said second arm portion having a guide member thereon operable to engage said second lever upon rotation of said first lever and pivot said second lever about said pivot connection to said first lever first arm portion to thereby move said charging hole cover engaging means laterally from beneath said coal charging chute.
 7. Lifting apparatus for removing a charging hole cover from a charging hole of a byproduct coke oven as set forth in claim 1 which includes, a support bracket secured to said larry car, a pair of guide rollers secured to said support bracket in spaced relation to each other, said second lever positioned between said guide rollers, and means urging one of said guide rollers toward said second lever.
 8. Lifting apparatus for removing a charging hole cover from a charging hole of a byproduct coke oven as set forth in claim 7 in which, said second lever has a second arcuate portion adjacent said pivotal connection to said first lever operable with said pair of guide rollers to move said second lever vertically a preselected distance.
 9. Lifting apparatus for removing a charging hole cover from a charging hole of a byproduct coke oven as set forth in claim 1 in which, said larry car includes a plurality of coal hoppers with depending discharge chutes operable to be aligned with a series of spaced charging holes in a coking chamber, charging hole cover removing apparatus including first and second levers associated with each of said coaL hoppers, and means connecting all of said first levers for simultaneous pivotal rotation.
 10. Lifting apparatus for removing a charging hole cover from a charging hole of a byproduct coke oven as set forth in claim 9 which includes, all of said first levers nonrotatably connected to a common shaft, and drive means to rotate said common shaft and simultaneously pivot all of said levers to thereby simultaneously remove all of said charging hole covers. 